Jordan Tully is a first-year graduate student on the women’s basketball team. She is from Canada and has been playing basketball since elementary school. She is attending NSU to get a masters in conflict analysis and resolution.
How and why did you get into basketball?
“Since I was younger, I was a super active kid, and I saw one of my classmates shooting a basketball in fourth grade, and was like, ‘I want to do that!’ I ended up playing basketball, and I loved it from the minute I picked up the ball. From then on, I decided to play competitively, and in high school, I decided I wanted to play in college. The rest is history.”
Why did you choose to come to NSU?
“My situation’s kind of special because I’m a graduate student. I just graduated in December from Stetson University, and I was looking to still play basketball. NSU has a great program, a great school and great facilities, so when I was looking around, it seemed like a perfect fit. I reached out to Coach Freelen, and she was super excited to talk.”
What are the pros and cons of being a student-athlete?
“For sure time management. It’s always a challenge because simply put, you don’t have a lot of time. You have to definitely manage your time well, and just in general, too, with your life. You don’t want to spend too much time on or obsess over anything because you need to have a good balance. That’s definitely one of the hardest things. A pro is that being a student-athlete is awesome. You get to meet so many different people from so many different backgrounds, and your overall experience is one of a kind.”
How have you managed to balance sports and academics?
“Definitely planning and scheduling. I actually just got a job on campus, so I have to incorporate that into my schedule now. I have a planner, and I write every part of my life in it. I have to stay on top of it, or else I’ll just be swamped with everything.
What would you tell a first-year graduate student-athlete?
“To just be open to the change. Obviously, it’s different from [undergraduate studies], but it’s a great type of different. Just not to be overwhelmed. There’s a lot of expectations, but I just think, enjoy yourself and have fun. For most graduate students, it’s the last of their eligibility, so make the most of it.”
How has basketball helped you adjust to college life?
“Being an athlete in general, you have to learn a whole bunch of different things. Basketball’s taught me a lot, especially how to deal with things in my life because it’s not always sunshine and rainbows. It’s not always the best of times, so I definitely feel like I’ve learned from basketball how to manage all different aspects of my life.”
What does your downtime look like?
“I love going to the beach, trying new food and learning about different cultures for sure. Especially because our team is pretty diverse; we have someone from Russia, someone from Croatia, and our point-guard Janie’s fluent in Spanish. It’s super cool.”
What has been your favorite moment of the season so far?
“Honestly, it was probably in our last game against Lynn. It was hyped up a lot, and we were super excited to play. At the end of the game, we had secured the win with only a couple seconds left. Someone tried to steal the ball from Christen Prasse, but she ended up sinking the three so the win was super cool.”
Do you have any pre-game rituals?
“I’m not super superstitious. A couple of my teammates are, but I just have to listen to some loud music.”
What is your favorite thing to do after a big game?
“We as a team always drink chocolate milk and stretch.”
What are your goals for basketball in the future?
“I would love for the opportunity to play professionally overseas if I’m afforded it. I want to give back to the community because basketball’s given me so much; I can’t even explain. I would love to just give a little bit back, as much as I could.”
What do you plan to do after graduation?
“I’m getting my masters in conflict analysis and resolution, which is basically peace studies. I’d love to go back to Canada and then go to law school because long term, I’d like to work either for the UN or for a non-profit organization as an international human rights lawyer.”
